Request an appointment

To make your child’s first appointment, call Central Scheduling at (414) 607-5280 or toll-free at (877) 607-5280.

To schedule second or subsequent appointments at Children’s Hospital, call (414) 266-2858.

To schedule second or subsequent appointments at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin specialty clinics at Greenfield Sports Medicine, call (414) 604-7530.

To schedule second or subsequent appointments at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin specialty clinics in New Berlin, please call (262) 432-7702. (Physical and occupational therapy only for children birth to 6)

Torticollis treatment

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin offers evaluation and treatment of infants with torticollis and positional plagiocephaly. Torticollis is a tightening of the neck muscles resulting in a head tilt and/or head turn preference. It is most often caused by the position of a baby in the uterus before birth or due to mild injury to the neck muscles during delivery.

Newborns and young infants also may develop torticollis if their head always tips or turns to the same side before they develop better head control.

In addition, torticollis may result in flattening of the skull on one side as the baby keeps his or her head turned to one side more than the other. This is called positional plagiocephaly and is due to a prolonged pressure on one area of the skull.

Torticollis therapy

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin New Berlin Clinic specializes in the treatment of torticollis. Outpatient physical therapy and regular visits to a pediatric physical therapist may be required based on the severity of the torticollis. Infants may need to be treated several times a week in severe cases, or may only need to be treated monthly if their case is mild.

The best outcomes are achieved when physical therapy is started before three months of age. Physical therapy treatment for torticollis usually lasts until the child is walking independently without a head tilt/turn preference or other abnormal motor pattern.

Instruction on how to help your baby tolerate tummy time; while supervised, babies should play on their tummies for one hour daily

Our torticollis program

Infants may be referred to our program to be seen by a craniofacial specialist/plastic surgeon and a pediatric physical therapist. This especially may occur if there are concerns with head shape and facial asymmetries. A visit may include:

Head shape assessment with craniometry

Head circumference measurement

Photographs, with consent, of the infant to monitor the head shape and torticollis